gov 141 congress

8/14/2019 Gov 141 Congress

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CongressCongressThe National LegislatureThe National Legislature


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Congressional PowerCongressional Power

Derives From Article I, U.S.Derives From Article I, U.S.

ConstitutionConstitution

Article I, Section 8, EnumeratedArticle I, Section 8, EnumeratedPowersPowers

Elastic, or Necessary and ProperElastic, or Necessary and Proper

ClauseClause

Congress is at the center of FederalCongress is at the center of Federal

Policy making processPolicy making process


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Congressional RestraintsCongressional Restraints

Article I, Section 9: Prohibits Bills ofArticle I, Section 9: Prohibits Bills ofAttainder, Ex Post Facto laws,Attainder, Ex Post Facto laws,Suspension of Habeus Corpus.Suspension of Habeus Corpus.

Bicameral: Senate and HouseBicameral: Senate and House States elected Senators, PopularStates elected Senators, Popular

elections for Houseelections for House

Two Senators from every state,Two Senators from every state,Congressmen tied to populationCongressmen tied to populationTeacup and the Saucer: House theTeacup and the Saucer: House the

teacup, Senate the Saucerteacup, Senate the Saucer


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Congressional RestraintsCongressional Restraints

Bill of RightsBill of Rights

Checks and balances between statesChecks and balances between states

and federal government, branches ofand federal government, branches offederal governmentfederal government


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CongressCongress

435 Congressional Seats435 Congressional Seats Apportioned to states by population.Apportioned to states by population.

Each state has at least 1.Each state has at least 1.

States draw House boundaries inStates draw House boundaries in

accordance with federal lawsaccordance with federal laws

Entire membership elected every twoEntire membership elected every two

yearsyears Unique Powers: Brings actions ofUnique Powers: Brings actions of

impeachment, Spending/Appropriationsimpeachment, Spending/Appropriations

Bills Originate in HouseBills Originate in House


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SenateSenate

1/31/3rdrd of all Senators elected everyof all Senators elected everytwo years for 6 year termstwo years for 6 year terms

Formerly elected by states but sinceFormerly elected by states but since

constitutional amendment in theconstitutional amendment in the1910s elected by popular vote1910s elected by popular vote

2 Senators per state2 Senators per state

Unique Powers: Advice and ConsentUnique Powers: Advice and Consentfor upper level Presidential appmts.for upper level Presidential appmts.and treaties. Tries impeachmentand treaties. Tries impeachmentcasescases


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FederalismFederalism

Remember: Power in America isRemember: Power in America issharply divided along two kinds ofsharply divided along two kinds oflineslines Seperation of Powers between theSeperation of Powers between the

branches Supreme Court, Congressbranches Supreme Court, Congressand President theoretically coequaland President theoretically coequalbranchesbranches

Federalism is the division betweenFederalism is the division betweenstates and federal governmentstates and federal government

Remember U.S. v. Lopez: Guns aroundRemember U.S. v. Lopez: Guns aroundschools isnt a federal issue. Fedsschools isnt a federal issue. Feds

argued, unsuccessfully, commerceargued, unsuccessfully, commerce


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Three Ways of Looking at Role ofThree Ways of Looking at Role of

Congressmen and SenatorsCongressmen and Senators

Edmund BurkeEdmund Burke Delegate: An elected rep. who acts inDelegate: An elected rep. who acts in

perfect accord with the wishes of his/herperfect accord with the wishes of his/her

own constituentsown constituentsTrustee: Believes his/her own judgmentTrustee: Believes his/her own judgment

should be used to make decisions.should be used to make decisions.

Middle Road: The way most, if not all,Middle Road: The way most, if not all,Senators, Reps behaveSenators, Reps behave


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Minority RepresentationMinority Representation

Ethnic minorities, womenEthnic minorities, women

underrepresented statisticallyunderrepresented statistically

speaking in Congressspeaking in Congress

African Americans approachAfrican Americans approach

statistical parity in House of Reps.statistical parity in House of Reps.

Only 1 Af American, 3 Hispanics inOnly 1 Af American, 3 Hispanics in

Senate despite 25% of population.Senate despite 25% of population.

However, high profile minorities onHowever, high profile minorities on

the political bench.the political bench.


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Those Who Are RepresentedThose Who Are Represented

Constituents: Those who live in aConstituents: Those who live in a

Congressmans District/SenatorsCongressmans District/Senators

StateState

Constituence: Generic term used toConstituence: Generic term used to

describe entire districts/statesdescribe entire districts/states

electorate or some sub-group thereinelectorate or some sub-group therein


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Electoral DistrictsElectoral Districts

Reapportionment after every CensusReapportionment after every Census

(10 years)(10 years)

In reapportionment, some states loseIn reapportionment, some states lose

seats, some gain seatsseats, some gain seats

KY lost 1 seat after 1990 censusKY lost 1 seat after 1990 census


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RedistrictingRedistricting

States internal redrawing of CongressionalStates internal redrawing of Congressional

boundariesboundaries

Must be consistent with federal law,Must be consistent with federal law,

particularly where minorities areparticularly where minorities areconcernedconcerned

Gerrymandering: State LegislaturesGerrymandering: State Legislatures

Attempts to Draw Boundaries According toAttempts to Draw Boundaries According to

Partisan, Political LogicPartisan, Political Logic

The curious case of TXThe curious case of TX

Kentuckys 1Kentuckys 1stst Congressional DistrictCongressional District


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Majority Minority DistrictsMajority Minority Districts

Districts whose boundaries are drawnDistricts whose boundaries are drawn

in such a way that ensures a racialin such a way that ensures a racial

minority constitutes a majority of theminority constitutes a majority of the

districtdistrict 24 currently (15 Af Americans, 924 currently (15 Af Americans, 9

Hispanics)Hispanics)

May dilute DemocraticMay dilute Democratic

representationrepresentation


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Money and PoliticsMoney and Politics

$5 Million to run for U.S. Senate$5 Million to run for U.S. Senate

>$1 Million to run for U.S. House>$1 Million to run for U.S. House

Committee Seats Afford Reps. andCommittee Seats Afford Reps. andSenators a chance to haul in $$$Senators a chance to haul in $$$

Power of incumbencyPower of incumbency

Open Seats: Retirements vs. SuddenOpen Seats: Retirements vs. Suddenvaccanciesvaccancies

All politics are local.??All politics are local.??


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Congressional DutiesCongressional Duties

Vote on legislationVote on legislation

Oversight of PresidentOversight of President

InvestigationsInvestigations Franking Privilege: Power to sendFranking Privilege: Power to send

mail to constituents on Congress'smail to constituents on Congress's

dimedime Constituent Services: HelpingConstituent Services: Helping

Constituents navigate the federalConstituents navigate the federal

bureaucracybureaucracy


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How Congress WorksHow Congress Works

100 days in this past Congress100 days in this past Congress

Leadership: Herding CatsLeadership: Herding Cats

Senate much more deliberativeSenate much more deliberative House much more majoritarianHouse much more majoritarian

Political Caucuses Very PowerfulPolitical Caucuses Very Powerful

Determine Committee MembershipsDetermine Committee Memberships Can Support, Oppose its own MembersCan Support, Oppose its own Members

Party Voting Trending UpwardsParty Voting Trending Upwards (11.6, Pg(11.6, Pg331)331)


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Reasons for Rise in PartisanshipReasons for Rise in Partisanship

Multi-regional party blocsMulti-regional party blocs

disappearingdisappearing

Moderates Losing, Retiring (seeModerates Losing, Retiring (see

above)above)

Political Pressure from below to holdPolitical Pressure from below to hold

the (partisan) linethe (partisan) line


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The Cat HerdersThe Cat Herders

In the HouseIn the House Speaker of the House vs. the MinoritySpeaker of the House vs. the Minority

LeaderLeader

House Majority LeaderHouse Majority Leader Majority WhipMajority Whip

In the SenateIn the Senate

Senate Majority Leader (KYs SenatorSenate Majority Leader (KYs SenatorMcConnell 08?)McConnell 08?) Senate PresidentSenate President Senate Majority Whip (SenatorSenate Majority Whip (Senator

McConnell 06)McConnell 06)


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Speakers PowerSpeakers Power

33rdrd Most Powerful Person in D.C.?Most Powerful Person in D.C.?

House is MajoritarianHouse is Majoritarian

Ebbs and Flows According to CaucusEbbs and Flows According to Caucus


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WhipWhip

The Vote Counter, Getter,The Vote Counter, Getter,

Disciplinarian(?)Disciplinarian(?)


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Senate LeadershipSenate Leadership

Much less majoritarianMuch less majoritarian

One Senator can derail legislativeOne Senator can derail legislative

processprocess

President of the Senate is the VicePresident of the Senate is the Vice

President of the United StatesPresident of the United States Only votes to break tiesOnly votes to break ties

Senate Majority Leader does haveSenate Majority Leader does have

powers of visibility, persuasion. Morepowers of visibility, persuasion. More

personal than institutional.personal than institutional.

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